The Repsol Honda Team rider could not finish Q2 and tomorrow will start from the fourth row of the grid. Jorge Lorenzo will take off from eighteenth
In the last two Free Practice sessions today, Marc Márquez was third in FP3 and fifth in FP4.
In qualifying, on his first attempt at a hot lap, the Repsol Honda Team rider was momentarily up into fifth position.
After a change of tyres, on his second lap he lost rear grip at Turn 2, throwing him off his bike. Despite the dramatic crash, an examination from MotoGP’ Medical Director, Dr. Charte, ruled out any serious injuries.
On the other side of the box, Jorge Lorenzo was 17th in both FP3 and FP4, placing eighth in Q1. He will be eighteenth on the grid tomorrow.
The Repsol Honda Team would like to extend their deepest condolences to the friends and family of Indonesia’s Afridza Munandar, who passed away today while racing in the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup at the Sepang International Circuit.
Marc Márquez | 11th 1’59.178
“I’m ok, I’m in a lot of pain all over my body after a big crash. We have a good setting for race rhythm, but we were struggling a little bit with one fast lap and especially looking for something more in the change of directions. The tyres were ready but I was maybe a little too aggressive in the change of direction. Honestly, I’m more disappointed starting 11th than with the crash itself. From 11th it will be difficult, even if we did have a good rhythm in FP4. This season we have had 17 almost perfect qualifying practices, but we will see what we can do tomorrow.”
Jorge Lorenzo | 18th 2’00.478
“It was a very strange crash today, quite unpredicted because I braked a little too late and then ran on. When I entered the tarmac outside of T1, the front just closed like there was no grip and I got flipped over. Fortunately, I wasn’t injured. In Q1 I used the second bike but I think we went in slightly the wrong direction with the setting. I equaled my best lap time from the weekend, but everyone else improved. We are closer to the front than before and I’m looking to reduce the gap we had in Motegi.”
